Jin and Sion stepped back into the grand obsidian hall of the Rotschy estate. Cold, elegant, and silent as a mausoleum of ancient kings, the estate stood like a monument to power — every polished black tile and silver-framed arch exuding timeless majesty. Shadows clung to the corners like obedient pets, and the faint hum of mana buzzed just beneath the surface of the air.
Sion parted from Jin quickly, walking briskly down a side corridor. Her heels echoed like whispers of a secret, vanishing before Lady Naoko might cast her indifferent silver gaze toward her. She had no intention of drawing attention. Not tonight.
Jin stepped into the main salon with casual, feline grace — his black coat trailing slightly behind him, eyes gleaming crimson with their usual unreadable mischief.
He found them already there.
Amelia Amberhart sat elegantly on one of the silver-trimmed velvet sofas, her fiery red hair tumbling down her back like molten silk, her golden eyes calm and observing. She was dressed in a sleek crimson gown that hugged her form like it belonged there — aristocratic, seductive, and utterly composed. Beside her stood Rena, cheeks still tinged pink, her golden eyes flicking toward Jin and away again, unable to meet his gaze for too long.
"Good evening, Lady Amelia," Jin said, sliding onto a nearby armchair next to his mother Naoko , one leg folded over the other. "How are you?"
Amelia smiled with that glint of feline charm. "I'm well, Jin. And yourself?"
He gave a lazy shrug. "Still alive. Mostly intact."
Naoko sat at the far end of the room — a vision of ice and midnight. Her silver hair cascaded straight down her back, glinting under the chandelier's pale light. She wore a black lace gown of obsidian velvet and moon-thread, high-collared and severe, elegant and suffocating. Her eyes were silver and vacant, devoid of warmth or life, and her porcelain skin almost glowed under the light. She didn't speak at first — merely watched.
When she did, her voice was like still water: smooth, cold, and unmoved by emotion.
"Why is your body not cloaked in mana,Rena?"
The air chilled. Rena froze, her spine stiffening. The golden glow of her eyes faltered.
"I… I was distracted," she admitted, her voice barely a whisper.
Naoko didn't blink. "Did I not tell you to remain focused? To avoid distractions—especially those involving my son?"
The words hung in the air like a blade.
Rena said nothing, her thoughts spiraling. She knows. Of course she knows. The academy must be monitored. She sees everything.
Jin in the academy will naturally be a watcher.
Her cheeks flamed again.
Naoko continued, ignoring the discomfort like it didn't matter. "No matter. You will begin training in a new flame technique soon — the Flame of Severia. It is the soul-fire of a dragon I killed. I took its mana heart. You'll receive it when your body is ready. But your emotional clarity is… lacking. Learn to center yourself."
Jin leaned back with a faint smirk, eyes flicking to Rena."She's right, you know. You've been terribly reactive lately."
Rena glared at him. Her whole face was red now.
Amelia, sipping her tea calmly, smiled knowingly. "Control yourself, Rena. Your emotions — and your impulses."
That did it.
Rena's brain emptied for a heartbeat. Even Mother knows?!
Jin chuckled softly. "Lady Amberhart," he began, turning toward her—
—but he didn't finish.
The room shifted.
A portal shimmered into being with silver light and frosty sparks. It bloomed open like a lotus made of stars, and from it leapt a creature of ethereal grace.
A wolf — no, something more.
Her fur was snowy white, thick and pristine like fresh winter powder. Her body sleek, powerful, yet undeniably elegant. Blue, glacial eyes glowed with both intelligence and ancient depth. Her tail swayed like mist, and when she landed, it was on silent paws. She stood half as tall as Jin, but there was nothing tame in her presence.
Then — in a blink — she leapt at Jin, her massive paws landing against his chest as her tongue licked his face in a flood of affection.
"Shizana," Jin laughed, his voice lighter than anyone had heard it all day. "That tickles."
The others stared.
Rena's eyes were wide, lips parted in awe. Amelia blinked slowly, surprised. Only Naoko remained still, unmoved, watching without expression.
"What… is that?" Rena finally asked.
Naoko answered, her voice devoid of any emotion. "This is Shizana. A Moon Wolf. Female."
Shizana turned her head toward Rina and Amelia, and then — with a soft, chiming voice that echoed faintly in their minds — spoke.
"Hello. I am Shizana," she said warmly. "Wolf of the Moon. Companion of Jin. My lord."
Rena recoiled a bit. "She can talk…"
Shizana tilted her head and looked curiously at the two women. "And who might you be?"
Naoko answered without a flicker of feeling. "That is Amelia Amberhart. And her daughter, Rina. Jin's wife."
Shizana bowed her head gently. "Ah. Understood. Pleased to meet you both."
Before more could be said, a soft rustle came from behind the velvet curtains. A sleek white cat padded in, graceful and silent. Her eyes were ice-blue, and her demeanor regal. It was Nyx — Jin's cat — and when she saw Shizana, she purred low and brushed herself against the wolf's leg affectionately.
Shizana dipped her muzzle and nuzzled the cat. "Hello, Nyx. It has been a month."
meow
Nyx meowed once, then leapt into Naoko's lap, curling into a ball like she belonged there. Naoko didn't touch her — but she didn't push her away either.
"Did you make that portal yourself?" Rina asked, blinking in awe.
"Yes," Shizana replied. "I was wandering through an ancient grove. I sensed Jin's energy and came."
"You use mana?"
"I am formed of it," Shizana said simply, tail swaying. "Mana is my breath."
Rena stared. She could feel it now — raw, overwhelming power pouring off the wolf's body. She's stronger than Jin… by far.
"You have a cat and a wolf," Rena muttered, crossing her arms. "What's next?"
Jin grinned. "There's also Zakharos — a black lion who guards the estate. He is the barrier that protects this land. The shield you see around the estate? That's his body, spread across the walls like a second skin."
"and a devilish girl"
"And the demon girl?" Rina asked with a sigh.
Jin said " yes"
"She's around," Jin said, amused. "Probably causing trouble. She likes it that way."
Rena blinked slowly. I'm not surprised anymore. This family… is full of monsters. Beautiful, terrifying monsters.
---
Heat: Note that Shizana was on the moon. Jin, Naoko, and Shizana could go to the moon and breathe on it by opening portals, but they didn't tell Rena this because it's useless. They are the only three who can breathe moon mana.